


Running Scared

by Allthingscomics



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Porn with Feelings, first time in a long time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-03
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-04-17 17:55:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14194482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Allthingscomics/pseuds/Allthingscomics
Summary: Nameless female reader and Bucky Barnes are partners in an Avengers mission to extract computer files. An unexpected turn of events brings new feelings to light. I'm hoping to have multiple chapters on this but not sure how many. I guess I'll see how it plays out. Explicit for later chapter(s).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work that I have published here. Please excuse any typos, tagging errors, and anything else that I might have missed.

It was unusual for her to go out, alone, on her own at night. It's not like she couldn't handle herself. Being brought up in a military family had made her tough. Her father insisted on martial arts training, weapons knowledge, and cynicism of the world in general. 

She was a homebody. Her idea of a good time was reading, binge-watching Netflix, and adult coloring books. Don't laugh - they are great at reducing stress. Her stress stemming from her Avengers team status, which currently was active. Any social interactions were made up of work functions set up by Tony "any excuse to party" Stark. 

How she found herself at a bar at half-past 10 o'clock on a Thursday night, was inexplicable, to say the least. Except to say that she wanted a drink... Needed a drink. The last mission had been a textbook success, but she couldn't shake the feeling of fear and dread that invaded her thoughts ever since she got back in her Avengers Tower apartment. 

"Okay, this is a simple extraction mission. Nat and Clint will take the north side of the building, Wanda and I will take the south side, Sam will fly over keeping an eye on the perimeter, I'm sending you in with Bucky so he can keep watch while you retrieve the files," Cap explained to her as they reviewed the blueprints of the building, "we don't expect any Hydra agents since the place has been abandoned but, you never know."

"Sounds like a plan, Cap. In and out." she smiled. Computer science and forensics was her specialty and she was good at it. The team climbed onto the Quinjet and set off for their destination. Everyone was in good spirits as they checked and rechecked their gear and weapons.

As the team left the jet, they set off to secure their assigned areas. 

"Northside clear," Clint responded.

"Southside clear," said Cap.

"Perimeter is clear from the sky," Sam reported.

"We're up," she spoke to Bucky and he nodded. They needed to get to the hub of the building where the computer lab was located. The couple silently and quickly made their way to the lab without issue. Once inside, she began to power up the computers for file extraction. After inserting the necessary hardware that Tony had created, all they had to do now was wait. As she was surveying a piece of equipment, she felt an arm grab her around the throat. 

"Barnes!" she yelled as she threw her elbow back and used her other hand to hold onto the attacker's knife-wielding hand. The man got the air knocked out of him but held fast and managed to shallowly slice the right side of her face. Bucky alerted the others to the attacker via the coms.

As they struggled, Bucky took aim at the man. The man used the blunt end of the knife handle to strike her head making her dazed and she dropped her arms. 

"Don't! I will kill her," the man was holding the blade to her throat now. His hand was shaking and his eyes were wild. 

"And then I will kill you! So how about you drop the knife and we can talk about this," Bucky held up a hand to try and defuse the situation. 

"Am I supposed to expect that the Winter Soldier won't kill me even if I don't kill her?" the man yelled. 

"Shoot him, Barnes!" she commanded and tapped her right leg twice. Bucky just stood there with the gun trained on the man.

"Shut up!" the man pushed the knife into the side of her neck, just breaking the skin.

"Barnes!" she yelled making the man scoot further away from Bucky, tripping him in the process. She was able to headbutt the man in the nose with the back of her head, slide under his arm twisting it to flip the man onto his back. By the time he had understood what had happened, there were five Avengers staring at him with weapons cocked. Not one to fail her missions, she collected the hardware containing the necessary files. The adrenaline kept her going until they made it back to the compound. 

The man was a Hydra agent assigned to work in the lab. He had managed to stay and live in the building's basement which was not drawn into the blueprints. S.H.I.E.L.D. took the man into custody for questioning.

Once the Quinjet landed, she gave her debriefing report and the hardware for decryption. The medic checked her out for injuries and addressed the cut to her face and neck. After being dismissed, she went to her apartment where she removed her gear and showered. It was in the shower that she let her tears flow. She pressed her back to the cold tiles and slid onto the shower floor letting the water wash away the grime of the mission, along with her tears.

She got out of the shower and looked at her reflection. She had a couple of stitches on the side of her head where the knife handle hit her. The cut on her face was shallow enough not to require stitches but instead was taped over. Her neck had bruises where the man choked her in his attempt to hold her. 

She should have gone to bed. She should have gotten out her adult coloring books and gotten comfy in her pajamas and relaxed in bed. But she couldn't.

She got dressed in jeans, t-shirt, jacket, and boots and decided to leave the compound. The rest of the team had turned in for the night. Everyone except for Bucky. He saw her leave. He wondered where she could be going at this hour. It wasn't any of his business but it did seem strange to him. As far as he knew, she didn't have any contacts outside of the compound beyond her father who was out of state. 

Bucky decided to follow her. She ended up walking and he wondered where she was heading until she finally walked into a bar.

"Vodka, rocks, please," she asked the bartender as she took a seat, "what about you, Barnes?"

"Same, please," he sat next to her and smiled, "you made me? I guess I'm losing my touch."

"I saw you in a reflection almost right outside the compound. So want to tell me why you are following me?" she smiled back.

"I wondered why you left. It's kinda late, ya know," he explained as they picked up their vodkas, "cheers."

"Yeah, cheers," she replied. 

"So you aren't going to tell me?"

"What can I say? I don't have vodka in my apartment and I wanted a drink."

"Stark keeps a full bar."

"I wanted to get out."

"Why?"

"Why does it matter to you?"

"Because, doll, we're partners. We have each other's backs, right?"

"I didn't have yours when that scumbag attacked me. He could have just sliced my throat and then attacked you. I... I messed up, Barnes, and that could have cost you your life. It was my responsibility to secure that area but I couldn't see beyond working the computers," she let it all out, tears threatening to spill, grasping the glass so hard that her knuckles turned white.

"You didn't mess up. Is that what you think?" Bucky took the glass from her hand, "Listen to me, doll, what happened wasn't anyone's fault. These things happen, especially in our line of work. When you told me to shoot him, I froze. And yes, the irony that the Winter Soldier froze is not lost on me," he placed his hand on the back of her neck and brought her so close, their foreheads touched. 

"I don't understand," she sniffed holding Bucky's wrist as he held her neck.

"I didn't have a clear shot and I couldn't shoot through you and I know that is what you wanted me to do, but I couldn't," Bucky closed his eyes, "I couldn't hurt you like that but I froze and I couldn't save you either. I'm just lucky that you are such a bad ass that you would get us out of that mess."

She then did something that would either elate her with acceptance or kill her with rejection, she kissed him.

She and Bucky worked well together as mission partners. They could know what the other was thinking and with a glance, nod or some other movement they knew what the other was going to do. And though he didn't see it coming, he was pleasantly surprised at this turn of events.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set one year ago, an agent in training at the FBI Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia, is recruited by Tony Stark. She joins the Avengers and becomes one of Bucky's best friends.

Training at the academy left very little time for extracurricular activities. Typically, during the weekends, the agents in training would either go home if they were close enough to get there, or they would hang back and live their lives on campus. 

She spent the majority of her weekends in coffee shops with decent wifi. She would go onto the dark internet searching for creeps and wrong-doers of all kinds. She would hack into their accounts or pose as a target asking for a meeting. She would then tip off the police and let them handle the arrest. She never identified herself to the authorities since technically what she was doing would be considered illegal but she was good at covering her tracks. 

Until one day, as she was doing a search of the creep-of-the-day, a couple of black SUVs pulled in to the coffee shop parking lot. A few men in black exited the vehicles and were about to enter the shop. She had a bad feeling about this and started to disconnect and shove her items into her bag. She went to the back of the shop into the bathroom. She knew that there was a window in there as she had seen it plenty of times. Always have an exit strategy, she thought to herself. She lowered her bag onto the ground and she shimmied out of the window.

She then set up a diversion. She always kept firecrackers on her person for instances such as these. She extended the wick to give her a head start and she lit the wick and took off running in the opposite direction. As the firecrackers started to ignite, they caused a series of loud bangs. The men in black ran towards the loud sounds that resembled gunshots. She ran to a small group of people who were waiting for a bus. The group was also distracted by the noise and she slipped into the group easily. As the bus pulled up, she helped an old woman with a walker get onto the bus. The men in black looked around and couldn't find the target. She smiled as the bus pulled away from the curb away from the coffee shop. 

Laying low sounded like the best option for the rest of the day and so she remained offline and disconnected. Opting to read an actual - hold it in your hands - book, she entered the library and found a comfy chair to relax in. After making herself at home, legs dangling off the arm of the chair, she laid back and started her book. 

"You know, they just wanted to talk. I told them that you would bolt, I mean, I would," she heard someone speak behind her.

"Look, man, I don't know what you're talking about," she sighed in exasperation as she moved her legs so her feet were back on the floor, "so why don't you just bolt," she said as she stood up looking straight at Tony Stark.

"Hi there, sunshine," Tony wiggled his fingers at her, "how's it going? I told the suits that it would be bad form to approach you, but hey what do I know, right? I'm just a genius."

"Billionaire, playboy, philanthropist," she supplied with wide eyes, "so I must be in big trouble if the Avengers have been sent to get me. Every one of those bastards deserved what they got. I would do it again, you know. Those assholes were abusing children. How could I sit idly by if I could actually do something about it?"

"Whoa, slow your roll, Ms. Robot," Tony held up a hand, "the Avengers don't want to turn you in, we want to recruit you."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"We've been keeping an eye on you and we think that you would be an asset to the team. Interested?"

"That's it? There isn't more of an interview process?"

"You want to jump through some hoops, you can deal with the men in black. You deal with me, you get fast-tracked. And by the by, you don't want to deal with those guys, they are a huge pain in the ass. So, what's it gonna be?"

"Umm, yes?"

"Good choice, let's go."

"Now?"

"You have somewhere you have to be? Need to finish your book? Yeah, didn't think so, come on, walk with me."

As she walked following Tony "F-ing" Stark, they exited the building and the men in black were there. A man approached them. 

"Target acquired, Coulson. I trust that you'll get her back to New York? Fantastic! All right, sunshine, see you at the tower," Tony spoke as the IronMan suit started to envelop his body. He then shot straight into the sky.

"I hate it when he does that," Coulson shook his head.

"Yeah, but it is pretty cool," she stared in awe at the sky.

The next few months flew by in a blur. She was sent for training in physical combat and weapons. Tony like having her around the lab as they traded friendly insults and banter, along with being a good student. She loved learning about all the things he created. She trained with everyone in the tower that would allow her: Natasha, Steve, Sam, Clint, and Bucky.

She and Bucky became fast friends and it was evident that they worked well together. They would spend their off time together, getting extra training in. He taught her how to handle knives. She learned how to make adjustments to his left arm. He would tell her stories about what it was like growing up in the '40s with Steve. She would teach him how to use his phone and a computer. 

She and Bucky would come up with ways to communicate to each other from across the room. In the beginning, it was a way to pull pranks on the rest of the team. She would give Steve a cup of coffee and while they would chat, Bucky would add whiskey to the cup or just steal it all together. One time, as Bucky was keeping Clint occupied, she replaced his high tech arrows with plastic toy ones. It was childish but fun.

Eventually, though, she and Bucky were able to parley their secret communications into missions. They were typically paired up and worked so well together that they became almost inseparable. 

"I am throwing a party tonight and everyone is expected to make an appearance," Tony told the team, "oh, sunshine and frosty, don't even think about pulling one of your elaborate schemes. You are going to be on your best behavior or I'm benching you both." 

"Oh come on!" she and Bucky cried out simultaneously. 

"Ah, ah, ah... I don't want to hear it. Plus make sure that you are dressed to impress. We all have a make a good impression," Tony called out as he left the common room. 

"Come on everyone, let's get ready," Steve announced. 

She rolled her eyes at Bucky who smirked and shrugged his shoulders. They then went their separate ways to prepare for the party. 

A couple hours later, the team had reassembled in the common room. No one was looking forward to going to one of Tony's parties, but there was safety in numbers and so they all showed up together. Of course, once there, just about everyone split up, Clint and Natasha went to the dancefloor, Steve was bombarded with party-goers wanting to talk with the great Captain America, Sam and Wanda headed for the bar.

"Not that you need my permission or anything, but if you want to go meet some new people, it's totally fine with me. I'm going to see if I can't talk the lamb chop guy into giving me his tray," she told Bucky.

"Tell you what, doll, I'll go secure us something to drink, and I'll meet you on the west balcony," he smiled at her and she nodded with a grin. Bucky made his way to the bar and secured a bottle of vodka with two glasses. 

She took off towards the kitchen and talked a server into giving her take-out boxes full of the evenings appetizers. After grabbing a stack of napkins and a couple of tea light candles, she headed to the west balcony to meet Bucky. She had gotten there first and started to set everything out and lit some candles. She set up two lounge chairs facing the sunset and set one of the side tables between them for the food. She put on some music from her phone and waited for Bucky to show. 

"Friday, please lock the door so we don't have any crashers," Bucky said as he stepped onto the balcony. 

"Yes, Sargeant Barnes," Friday announced politely.

"Smart! You think anyone will miss us?" she asked, slipping off her heels and getting comfy on one of the lounges.

"I actually don't. Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?" he asked pouring her a glass of vodka. He set the bottle down and took his jacket off and rolled his sleeves up to his elbows.

"I'm fine to be in the background, like a ninja," she laughed at her own joke.

"Wow, you got us a spread! Nice going, doll!" Bucky praised her as he sat on his own lounge chair. He lifted his glass of vodka to hers and they clinked glasses. They ate and drank and told jokes and just hung out. After an hour or so, someone was trying to open the balcony door. 

"Friday, open the west balcony doors," Tony requested. 

The couple looked at each other and then over to the door that opened revealing a very perturbed looking Tony Stark, "Busted," they said at the same time. 

"Seriously? Playing hooky? As Avengers, we need to show a united front. I need you guys to get to the party and mingle," Tony admonished them. 

"Sounds like a matter of national security," she mocked Tony who glared at her, "sorry..."

"Party's over, doll, let's go," Bucky offered his hand for her to take. 

"Sunshine, you're with me. There are some tech-guys who I want you to meet," Tony looked at her and then to Bucky, "Frosty, you and Steve can regale the old timers about your time with the Howling Commandos."

She looked back at Bucky before leaving the balcony and smiled weakly at him and he lifted his chin.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to present day, after she kisses Bucky. 'Big brother' Tony Stark to the rescue.

"I'm sorry," she pulled back from the kiss that she had initiated, looking at Bucky feeling completely embarrassed. She couldn't read him and figured that he didn't want her. She released him from her grasp and turned back to her drink. 

"Don't be," Bucky whispered, "I can't remember the last time a girl kissed me," and he too turned to stare at his drink. 

Her heart broke at his admission. What was she doing? Bucky was her friend, her partner and she just royally fucked up her relationship with him with a kiss. So fucking stupid! She drained her drink, dropped $20 on the bar, and slipped off the stool.

"I'm going back," she spoke quietly, unable to look him in the eye, "are you coming?"

"Yeah, let's go," he finished his vodka in one gulp and turned to follow her out of the bar.

Breathing in the crisp fall air felt good. She stood on the sidewalk waiting for Bucky. They walked silently back to the tower. Upon getting to the floor with the living quarters, they stepped out of the elevator. 

"Good night, Barnes," she whispered still unable to look into his blue eyes and she turned and walked quickly to her apartment.

"Good night, doll," he reached a hand to her but she was already walking away from him, "Damn," he bowed his head and headed toward his apartment.

The next day, she was in the lab with Tony who was tinkering with some new tech that he was developing. 

"Can you hand me that soldering iron?" Tony requested completely focused on his work, but when he didn't receive the tool, he looked up at her, "Hel-- lo, sunshine, you there? Snap out of it."

"Oh sorry, what?" she blinked and looked up at Tony.

"Soldering iron?" he used his eyes and chin to point out the tool he wanted.

As she went to grab it absentmindedly, not realizing that the iron was on and hot, she picked it up on the wrong end and dropped it immediately crying out, "Gahhh! Son of a fuck-- shit!" tears forming as she held her right hand with her left. Tony dropped what he was doing to usher her to the sink and turned on the cold water, forcing her hand under the stream of water.

He inspected her hand, "What were you thinking? Shit, your skin is getting bubbly. Let's get you to the medic."

She cried openly with tears running down her face.

"Sunshine? You've suffered worse. You okay?" Tony looked at her not knowing what to do.

"I kissed Barnes," she blurted out.

"Well, I guess I would be crying too if I did that," Tony joked with a smile and then quickly wiped the smile from his face when she looked at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"Look, sunshine, let's deal with one issue at a time and get you to the medic to take care of this burn," he urged her to stand, "we can deal with whatever you and frosty are doing another time."

"I can go to the medic myself," she spoke thickly.

"Yeah, you look totally capable," he sighed, "let's just go, c'mon."

On the way there, they passed Steve in the hallway, "Hey guys, whoa, what happened to your hand?"

"She caught the wrong end of a soldering iron," Tony explained, "just taking her to the medic."

"Geez, well yeah, you better get that looked at," Steve looked at her hand with concern.

She just looked at Steve and back to Tony and began to walk again. Tony just shrugged his shoulders at Steve and proceeded to followed her. 

Tony delivered her to the medic where the doctor treated and wrapped her hand and her fingers individually in gauze and gave some painkillers to take. Tony went back to his lab to continue his tinkering. 

"Come back tomorrow so we can treat and redress the wound," the doctor mentioned as Bucky entered the room looking sweaty and a little out of breath like he had just a marathon, but you know, for super soldiers, "Sergeant Barnes, I can get to you in a minute. I'm just finishing up--"

"What happened?" Bucky addressed her, ignoring the doctor completely, "Steve told me you had an accident in the lab. Where was Stark? Why isn't he here?"

"Sergeant Barnes, I'm going to have to ask you to wait outside," the doctor looked at him with exasperation.

"It's just a burn--" she explained, "I'm fine, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing. I told Tony to go back to the lab. Why are you so sweaty?"

"I was working out," Bucky explained and closed the distance between them in one step, "are you going to be okay?"

"Right, well, I'll just step out," the doctor explained, annoyed that he was being ignored, "remember, come back tomorrow."

"Come on, I'll take you back to your quarters," Bucky offered his hand to help her from the examination table. She sighed knowing that it would easier not to argue and took his hand with her left. 

As they walked, she noticed that they weren't going to her quarters, but to Bucky's, "wrong way, Barnes."

"I just need to clean myself up a bit and then I'll take you back to your place. Will you wait for me?" he asked with sincerity in his eyes. 

"Yeah, sure," she replied shyly. 

She sat on his couch while he went to take a quick shower and change his clothes. Ten minutes later, Bucky came out wearing sweatpants that hung low on his hips. He was still toweling off his hair. She looked up and stared openly at his body. She had seen it many times, but today it seemed different. She seemed different. She couldn't look away as he threw the towel into a hamper and slipped a t-shirt over his chest. She licked her dry lips and she felt a prickly heat climb up the back of her neck and she swallowed and took a deep breath.

"That must be painful," Bucky interrupted her trance.

"Umm, yeah, I'm so stupid. I can't believe I did that," she bowed her head, obviously embarrassed.

"Don't say that," he moved to sit next to her, "you are like one of the smartest people I know. And I know some fucking smart people, doll," he smiled at her.

"I haven't been feeling so smart lately," she looked up at the ceiling. She was avoided staring into his eyes.

"Look doll, I know you think that you crossed a line or something with me and I want to let you know that it's fine. We're fine. You don't have to worry about it," he explained, "in fact, I was think--"

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation, much to her relief. She didn't want to talk about this with Bucky, at least not yet. She was too embarrassed. Bucky went to open the door and it was Tony on the other side.

"Frosty, always a pleasure. Where is she? Friday said she was in here," Tony asked in his clipped manner of speaking.

She heard Tony and got up from the couch, "Hey Tony," she sighed. 

"Sunshine, you should be resting," Tony stepped into the apartment, bypassing an annoyed Bucky, "come on, I'm taking you back to your quarters."

"I can take her," Bucky argued.

"It's fine, Barnes, I should go," she spoke quietly, "I'll see you later," and exited his quarters. Tony looked at Bucky, tilting his chin up and then left.

Tony walked her to her quarters and ushered her onto her couch, "so, you were with frosty, huh? I got the impression earlier that maybe that wasn't a good idea?"

"I don't know what to think about him anymore," she blew out a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Tony, I know you would rather be doing or talking about a million other things. I'm fine, I'll deal with it."

"Look, sunshine, you know that I think of you like my kid sister, right?" Tony shoved his hands into his pockets, "and I'm shit about talking about feelings and other... crap. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can get Pepper, or even Happy, yeah Happy, he's great with this kind of thing--"

"No, Tony, don't worry, I'm fine. Please don't involve Pepper or Happy. I just had a moment of weakness. I'm good, really," she smiled at him with her lips, not her usual toothy grin.

"You know that what we do as Avengers-- time may not be on our side--," Tony was pacing and rubbing the back of his neck, "if you and frosty have a connection, you should hold onto it."

"What if he doesn't want me?"

"Aaghh... I don't want to talk to you about this stuff," Tony pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm gonna go get Pepper."

"No, Tony, please don't," she whined desperately. 

"Look, I'm going to go over this one time and then, we are not going to talk about this ever again," Tony groaned, "you like Barnes, he likes you, simple. Just go to him and break it down for him. Just speak slowly, he's like a hundred years old. You realize this, right?"

"How do you know he likes me?"

"Seriously?! Because I see how he looks at you. Look, I'm gonna need to pull the plug on this conversation. I can't take much more. Just know that if you put yourself out there, I can almost guarantee that frosty is gonna feel the same. And if for some bat-shit insane reason he doesn't then he's a bigger idiot than actually think that he is.  Okay, we are done! 

"But--"

"Done!" Tony called out as he exited her quarters, "and get some rest."

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her feelings for Bucky are confirmed but is it too late?

Due to her injury, she was out of commission for a couple of weeks. She was unable to go on missions, much to her annoyance. But Tony forbade it and Steve agreed. She wasn't sure which annoyed her more, the fact that her injury was stupidly self-inflicted or that Tony was treating her like a baby. Steve had a point saying that if she couldn't handle a weapon then she shouldn't be on missions. Deep down, she knew he was right. 

So she busied herself in the lab with Tony and even Dr. Banner. Of course, Tony gave her shit every time he asked for a tool saying things like, "make sure you pick whatever up by the handle" or "pay attention". She rolled her eyes every time but really unless she would be going for a run, she had nowhere else to be. Plus hiding out in the lab allowed her to avoid Bucky. So she tinkered on some new tech with Tony to keep her mind occupied. It was getting harder and harder for her to deny her feelings for Bucky but she was still too scared to do anything about it. 

As she was working in the lab, Steve stuck his head in the door, "hey guys, we need to assemble in the conference room now."

"Me too?" she asked.

"Yeah, let's go," Steve left.

She looked over at Tony who sighed obviously annoyed, "come on, sunshine."

The Avengers were assembled in the conference room waiting for Director Fury to show up. She looked over at Bucky and blinked once slowly at him and gave him a small, shy smile. He blinked twice and mirrored her smile.

"All right, everyone, we have a mission to extract hostages in an underground facility that has strong ties to Hydra," Director Fury began, "here are your mission reports, make sure to review the new tech. This is all hands on deck."

Her ears perked up, thinking that she was going to be back in action. As she was reviewing the report, Fury addressed her, "you'll be running communications and tech from here since you are still out of commission," she slumped her shoulders as her excitement deflated. 

"Everyone has their assignments, wheels up in 10 minutes," Steve called out.

"Steve, can I talk to you for a minute?" she approached him. Bucky hung back to hear what she had to say.

"I'm ready, I can go on this mission. I don't need to be "the guy in the chair", she looked at him expectantly. 

"Sorry, you haven't gotten the all clear so you are grounded," Steve explained and left the conference room.

"Don't worry, doll, you'll be out there in a couple of weeks," Bucky placed a hand on her upper arm, "I gotta go."

"Be careful out there, Barnes," she called to him as he walked away.

He spun around to face her, "Always, doll," and flashed his full-wattage smile making her heart beat that much faster.

She followed Director Fury to the communications room and prepared for the mission, testing the equipment, "This is the Tower, testing comms, please respond.

"Captain."

"Loud and clear, Tower."

"Widow."

"I'm good, Tower."

"Hawkeye."

"Gotcha, Tower."

"Falcon."

"Confirmed, Tower."

"Sargeant."

"I've got you, Tower."

"Iron Man."

"Yeah, sunshine, I'm on," Tony called out and she rolled her eyes at the nickname, looking up at Director Fury who was shaking his head as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Communications are loud and clear, good luck out there."

The Quinjet took off and headed to an old Army base in New Jersey. The chatter on the comms consisted of everyone securing their weapons and equipment. Once they arrived, the jet landed and the Avengers proceeded with their mission assignments. Tower had satellite visuals and from the Iron Man suit, along with cameras attached to the comms.

The cameras showed the team breaching the facility. The team moved stealthily through the building as they approached a steel door. On the monitors, hands were shown attaching a controlled bomb to the door. After 10 seconds, the bomb detonated and the team rushed in. The visuals were compromised due to smoke and debris. The Iron Man suit showed a man and a woman cowering in a corner as gunfire rang through the air. Tony attached a piece of equipment resembling bracelets to the left arms of the two hostages. The device then enveloped the couple in black Iron Man suits.

"Sunshine, hostages are secured," Tony called out.

"I've got them and flying them to the Quinjet now," she called out, "time to make your exit, team!"

"Tower, pursuing two hostiles," Bucky shouted. Everyone's camera showed that each member of the team was otherwise occupied with their own battles.

"Sargeant, stand down, hostages have been secured," she called out. Bucky being the stubborn SOB that he was kept up the pursuit. Bucky's camera showed one of the hostiles turn and throw a magnetic device that landed on Bucky's left arm causing him to yell as the device shocked him, rendering him incapacitated. She watched in horror as Bucky's camera showed the face of one Brock Rumlow. She could see his sneer as he crushed the comms device with his hand.

"Barnes!" she screamed standing now, "Cap, Rumlow has Barnes! South corridor. I no longer have a visual on Barnes."

"I'm on it, Tower," Cap yelled as she saw his shield fly around the room effectively knocking out three hostiles like they were in a game of pinball. She sat back down as Cap caught the shield as he began to run towards the corridor. 

Tony's camera indicated that he too was in pursuit down the corridor. She was chewing on her lip as she was monitoring all the visuals. She could see Bucky through the Iron Man suit and she saw Cap's shield zing through the shot knocking Rumlow's partner down. By now, the rest of the team was able to immobilize the remaining hostiles. It was now just Rumlow versus the Avengers and he was trapped like a rat.

"Stand down, Rumlow," Cap yelled.

"I don't follow your orders anymore, Captain Rogers," Rumlow yelled back.

"Tony, this is Tower, I'm going to fly one of the suits back to you now that the hostages have been secured on the jet. Get ready to receive," she said as she flew the suit remotely making it collapse into the bracelet in mid-air. 

"Got it, sunshine, now what?" Tony said, "it's not like I can put it on frosty while Freddy Kruger has him."

"Stand by," she rolled her chair over to a device that resembled a game controller.

After pressing a series of buttons, Bucky's left arm vibrated causing him to wake up. Bucky's eyes widened at the situation as he realized that he no longer had his comm in his ear.

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey, asset," Rumlow looked over at Bucky, "got your beauty rest?"

"Now Tony," she called.

"Frosty! Head's up!" Tony yelled as he threw the bracelet to Bucky. Bucky caught it and fastened it to his left arm enclosing him in the suit.

Rumlow screamed bloody murder and started to fire his weapon at Bucky but the suit deflected the bullets. 

"I've got you, Sargeant," she spoke as she flew the suit out of the facility back to the Quinjet. 

"Thanks, doll," Bucky blew out a breath.

Steve was able to subdue Rumlow. The S.H.E.I.L.D. agents were sent in for the arrests of the hostiles. The team boarded the Quinjet and flew back to the tower.

She was pacing, waiting for the jet to get to the hangar. 

"Will you sit down?" Fury admonished her.

"Sorry, nervous energy," she looked at him and sat down next to him, but as soon as the jet touched ground, she ran to the hangar. 

The team poured out of the jet and she sprinted launching herself at Bucky who caught her easily as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Tears leaked out of her eyes as she hugged him tightly. 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And finally, the smut.

As she flew into Bucky's arms, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was totally and completely in love with him. She had been so scared of sharing her feelings with him but discovered that if she didn't, she would regret it. This last mission was a testament to that. The only thing that scared her now was the prospect of having wasted too much time. 

They held each other with their eyes shut so tight, both breathing out a collective sigh.

"The rest of us are okay too, sunshine," Tony mocked as he walked past the couple. She just raised her injured hand at his comment but didn't issue back a witty remark, so she just placed her hand on the back of Bucky's neck, combing the back of his hair with her gauzed fingers.

Once the team left the Quinjet, she and Bucky were left standing there. He was still holding her up, his hands on her backside since her ankles were locked behind him.

"You got us out of another jam, doll," Bucky whispered, "thank you."

"I was so scared," she whispered back cupping his face in her hands, tears streaming down her face, "I thought that I would never see you again."

"You won't be able to get rid of me that easily," Bucky pressed his forehead to hers. He began to walk still carrying her.

"You can put me down, now," she whispered into his ear as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I know," but he just kept walking and holding her.

"Well, if you aren't going to put me down, please walk to the lab so I can run diagnostics on your arm."

"Will do."

As Bucky walked to the lab, the couple got a few stares but they were quickly shut down as Bucky narrowed his eyes at anyone who would dare say anything. Once they reached the lab, Tony quirked an eyebrow at Bucky but for once didn't have anything snarky to say. Bucky finally released her to let her do her work. 

"Okay, I have recalibrated your arm. How does it feel?" she asked.

"Great, thanks, doll," he smiled at her.

"All right then, you are free to go and do... whatever," she said awkwardly, not knowing what she should say.

Tony who was working quietly, rolled his eyes at her comment and decided to throw her a bone, "hey sunshine, I'm gonna need the lab for a few hours. Could you be a dear and... leave?"

"Oh? Really? You're sure that you don't need my help, Tony?" she questioned him looking like a deer in headlights.

"I'm sure," Tony said as he rocked back and forth on his feet, "and take frosty with you."

She began to feel scared again and looked up at Bucky who held his hand out to her. She took it and they left the lab. Bucky was walking to his quarters and she didn't say anything. Her adrenaline had dissipated and she was beginning to question what the hell she was doing again. Once they were inside Bucky's apartment, he shut the door and grabbed her face and kissed her sweetly, like she had done that night at the bar. 

"Is this okay?" Bucky asked. She nodded dumbly at him as a fire in her belly began to spread throughout her body. She stared at his mouth and licked her lips. With a speed that Bucky wasn't expecting, she grabbed his neck to pull his face closer to hers and attacked his mouth with her own. She lifted her leg and hooked it around his hip. He grabbed her backside and she wrapped her other leg around his body causing him to support her full weight, which for a super soldier, wasn't much. He carried her to his bed as they kissed each other greedily, sucking lips and tongues. 

They stripped each other of their clothing until he was left in his boxer briefs and she was in her bra and panties. They were writhing against each other on the bed, essentially humping against each other, as they kissed and moaned.

"We need to stop now," Bucky panted, "if we don't, I won't be able to stop."

"I don't want to stop," she moaned, "do you think we should stop?"

"I don't want to stop either," he spoke in between sucking on her neck, "are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, James," she whispered into his ear.

He stopped kissing her to look into her eyes, "Say it again."

"Yes, I'm sure. I don't want to stop, James."

"Fuck," he groaned and kissed her mouth again at the sound of his true name-- the sound of _her_ saying his name.

He struggled with trying to remove her bra, as he couldn't find the clasp in the back, "how do you get this off? where's the thing?"

"In the front," she laughed and undid the clasp for him. Bucky laughed too as he peeled off the offending garment. He then proceeded to suck a nipple into his mouth, pinching the other with his fingers, causing her to cry out and she scratched his scalp with her fingers.

He then latched onto the other nipple with his mouth and moved his hand down her belly to the waistband of her panties. He drew a line following the line of her waistband waiting for her to stop him. When she didn't, he slipped his fingers inside her panties and cupped her mound. Taking his middle finger he drew her lips apart in a line from back to front causing her to shudder at the sensation.

"God damn, doll," he breathed against her breasts, "this is your last chance to back out."

"Please," she begged, moaning as his fingers slowly opened her up, "Do not stop. I need you-- ahhh-- please."

He moved and settled in between her legs, pulling her panties down her thighs. He then lifted her legs straight up to pull her panties completely off and tossed them over his shoulder. He spread her legs with his hands pressing on her bent knees to completely open her up to his gaze. 

"Is this all for me?" he asked in a deep husky voice as looked down at her, he closed his eyes as he took a deep breath smelling her arousal. 

She was getting dizzy looking at him looking at her and she could feel her pussy pulse and drip with want.

"Answer me, doll," he opened up his beautiful blue eyes that appeared dark with desire, "is this sweet cunt all for me?"

"Yes-- only-- only for you," she panted shamelessly, "plea-- please, James."

He dove in between her legs and kissed her pussy like he was kissing her mouth. She tensed as the sensation and tried to close her legs to trap his head but he had his hands pressing on the inside of her knees preventing her from moving. She shouted for him incoherently, shaking her head against the pillow with her eyes tightly shut. She grabbed the headboard behind her to find some leverage against Bucky's assault. He moved his hands sliding down the inside of her thighs and then slid them under her ass lifting her up like he was drinking milk from a cereal bowl. 

"Ahh-- oh, fuck, oh God, I'm-- I'm--" was all that she managed to say as she squirted onto his tongue. Her body shaking violently as he continued to lap at her pussy.

He finally stopped eating her out and released her from his grasp once her body eased from the tight arch she created. He settled next to her as she caught her breath. She looked over at him and he was smiling at her and drawing patterns on her stomach with his fingers. She smiled back and shut her eyes as she continued to breathe hard. After a minute she opened her eyes and found Bucky staring at her breasts as they heaved with each breath she took. 

"Kiss me, James," she requested.

He leaned toward her and kissed her sweetly. Sucking her top lip into his mouth, running his tongue over it and then repeating the same treatment to her bottom lip. She tasted herself on his tongue and she touched him everywhere she could reach being pinned under him. He was still wearing his underwear and she slid a hand down his back, into his briefs, and grabbed his ass. She bent her knees and let her legs fall open so he could settle between them. She used her toes and feet to slide the underwear down his thick thighs and eventually off his legs.

"Just go slow, please," she requested shyly, "I haven't done this in a while."

"I haven't done this in a while either," he admitted, "I'll go slow."

Bucky sat up on his haunches to retrieve a condom from the nightstand and rolled it down his erection. He circled her clit and then fingered her pussy, inserting a digit. She sighed at the intrusion as he moved his finger in and out of her wet channel.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, "please tell me if I hurt you, okay, doll?"

She nodded her head yes, as she breathed deeply. Bucky started to push two fingers in, stroking her from the inside pressing up, causing her breath to hitch. Another minute later and Bucky was three fingers deep inside making her gasp. She squeezed her eyes shut and moved her hands to her breasts, pinching her own nipples, as she moaned for him as he pumped quickly, bending his fingers to brush against her g-spot.

"Please, fuck me now, James," she opened her eyes to look at his beautiful face, "I'm ready."

"God damn," he breathed as he removed his fingers and positioned the head of his cock at her slick folds. Rubbing her slit for lubrication, he pushed his cock slowly into her giving her a chance to adjust to the intrusion.  

"Oh God, oh, don't stop," she breathed out willing her body to relax.

"Breathe, baby, I'm almost there," Bucky ground out as he pushed himself into her quivering walls. Once he bottomed out, he stopped moving. Sweat was forming on his brow as he fought off the urge to slam into her body over and over again, "so fucking tight, feels so good." 

"Move now, please, James," she moaned as his strong body hovered over her, his arms bent at the elbows on either side of her body with his palms behind her shoulders, holding her in place. He slowly dragged himself out of her slick, wet cunt almost all the way out and then pressed into her, causing them both to groan. His restraint was incredible as he moved slowly in and out of her. Their eyes locking for what seemed like the first time, breathing each other in. Time seemed to slow down as they moved together in unison.

"I'm sorry, doll," Bucky ground out, "I'm gonna cum. Shit!"

"Then cum for me," she whispered, kissing his face and neck as he rocked into her.

His movements stuttered as he came and he collapsed on top of her with the welcome weight of his body. He put his arms around her body and turned so she was on top and his spent cock slipped out oh her.

"I'm sorry, babydoll. I couldn't help myself. It'll be better the next time, I promise."

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. That was lovely," she smiled lovingly at his face and kissed his forehead, cheeks, chin, eyelids, making him smile.

"I love you, doll."

"I love you, James."

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
